Chapter 703

The black baseball cap stood out conspicuously in the crowd.

Evelyn's fingers tightened around the stroller handle, her palms damp with sweat. She subtly altered her course, steering toward the security booth.

Could it be one of Vincent's men?

The shadowy figure maintained a steady distance behind them, an inescapable presence.

"Dr. Carter!"

Lotus came running from the street corner, waving a baby bottle. "You forgot this!"

As he drew near, he lowered his voice. "Someone's following you."

Evelyn's pulse quickened. Pretending to adjust the baby's blanket, she glimpsed the man in the baseball cap pretending to check his phone.

"Let's walk back slowly," she murmured. "Don't look back."

Lotus nodded, his hand gripping the stroller so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Streetlights stretched their three shadows long across the pavement. The pursuer hesitated, then continued trailing them.

Rounding the final corner, the Hamilton mansion came into view.

Evelyn whirled around—

A black sedan screeched to a halt, tires squealing against asphalt before vanishing into the night.

"I memorized the license plate," Lotus said, eyes gleaming.

Alexander returned with the chill of night air still clinging to him.

Only a nightlight illuminated the bedroom where Evelyn gently patted their sleeping baby. Seeing him enter, she pressed a finger to her lips.

The soft glow cast delicate shadows beneath her lashes.

Alexander lingered in the doorway, watching until the tightness in his chest eased. He retreated silently, changing in the adjacent room before returning.

"It's the Laurents," he whispered.

Evelyn exhaled in relief, then frowned. "They're making moves already?"

"I'll handle it tomorrow." His gaze drifted to the crib. "Sleep. I'll keep watch."

He settled into the armchair beside the bed, observing Evelyn's breathing gradually deepen. When Margaret entered, she found her son gazing at his wife and daughter.

"If only back then..." Margaret sighed.

Alexander shook his head gently. "We'll have our time."

Dawn had barely broken when lights flickered on in Hamilton Group's penthouse.

Emily Zade found three截然不同的 proposals spread across her boss's conference table.

"Notify all department heads," Alexander signed the final document without looking up. "Emergency meeting at nine."

The conference room air turned to ice.

When the projector displayed "Termination of Laurent Partnership," a director stood abruptly. "Mr. Hamilton, isn't this too sudden?"

Alexander spun his pen, the metal cap tapping rhythmically against the table.

"Three reasons." A new slide appeared. "First, Laurent fabricated last quarter's financials. Second, they stole our trade secrets. Third—"

A deliberate pause. His gaze sharpened to a blade's edge.

"Personal grounds."